If you stay by my side, we can rule the world
by elle-mae-xx
Summary: CO-WRITTEN WITH FAEMELODY Set after the fire in Season 3. Eddie and Rachel return to work to begin the new term, only they're both wearing a new piece of jewellery and Rachel has a completely different last name.. How will the staff and students of Waterloo Road react when they learn the pair have only gone and gotten married over the summer?


"I can't believe a new term starts tomorrow. Another year at this place, and I didn't think I'd make it past my first." Rachel finished filing the last of her paperwork and moved back over to where Eddie waited in her chair. He rolled his eyes and pulled her into his lap, pressing a kiss to her neck when she was settled comfortably against him.

"And I can't believe you've made me come into work the day before the inset day.. slave driver." He commented cheekily, securing his arms around her more firmly and chuckling against her soft skin.

"Oh please." Rachel let out a laugh and placed her hands over him. "You wanted to come and ch eck I'd held up my side of the bargain." Her comment turned both of their attentions to the door, where the new plaque took pride of place in the middle.

"Hey, I didn't doubt you for a second." Rachel squirmed against him and he relented. "Okay, maybe for a second. I know how big of a deal this is for you." He laced their fingers together, the metal of their wedding bands making a small noise as they joined together. "It looks good up there, it suits you.. Mrs Lawson." He whispered her new name into her hair and it sent a shiver down her spine, her face splitting in two with how wide she was grinning.

"It sounds good." She admitted, the honeymoon period having definitely not left her as the butterflies fluttered at the mere mention of her married name. "Everyone is going to lose it tomorrow, and that's just the staff." Rachel was never one for wanting attention on her personal life, hence why her and Eddie had never confirmed their relationship. There had been rumours, by the bucketload actually. But they all knew how private Rachel was and Eddie was stubbornly tight lipped also. Her plan didn't include a big announcement, just a simple name change on all of her documents and staff ID badge. Plus a new plaque on her door with her new name engraved into it. That, along with the new piece of jewellery on her left hand was enough confirmation for anyone.

"How long before someone notices, do you think?" Eddie asked humourfully.

"Depends on how hectic it is," she considered. "My money's on Steph noticing first though- she has eyes like a hawk when it comes to gossip."

He snorted in laughter. "No arguments here."

She turned her head, leaning back against him. "No regrets?"

"Never." He brushed a gentle kiss over her mouth, both of them smiling softly.

"People are going to talk," she murmured once they'd separated. "Everything that happened- Stuart Hordley, my past…"

"Doesn't matter," he said firmly.

"They won't think so."

"Screw what they think," he almost growled, and she let out a startled laugh. "Who cares? I married you because I love you, because I wanted to be your husband. As long as you and I know that, anyone else is immaterial."

It was, apparently, the correct thing to say because she kissed him firmly, twisting in his lap so that she could face him. And when they eventually broke apart, she rested her forehead on his, hand sliding to cup his neck. "I love you too."

Inwardly, however, she was still nervous. It wasn't just her past, she knew, though that would be a very large part of everyone's conversations. She and Eddie hadn't known each other very long, had been dating even less time. But their relationship had been through more than most peoples'- the fire had changed everything. She could easily have died, she knew, and that changed her perspective on things. Equally, not knowing if she were alive or dead, and then not knowing if she would wake up… Eddie had changed too. Rachel had found herself on the receiving end of genuine worry and concern for the first time in a very long while, and rather than enduring weeks of treatment alone as she would have otherwise done so, instead she had a steadfast shadow the entire time.

She remembered, vividly, the confusion she'd felt upon waking. The last memory she had had been of heat and smoke and painful breaths- waking up in a sterile room with a tube down her throat had been jarring, to say the least. But Eddie had been there, never once judging or shying away from the horror of her injuries, nor the extensive treatment and procedures she'd required and if she were totally honest, his presence had made everything that much easier. He'd never wavered, even when she withdrew from him, refusing to show him the least bit of affection or talk with him about anything more serious than the weather. Even when she'd eventually broken down, sobbing out her rage and fear and frustration on his shoulder. When she'd tried to end things with him, to push him away only for him to re-enter the room thirty minutes later, cheerily informing her that the shop was out of her favourite apples but he'd gotten her watermelon to make up for it.

He was, she recognised, pretty exceptional.

"Can you believe this office has turned into the most romantic place for us? With how we met, I cannot believe everything that's happened here." Rachel wondered out-loud, basking in the silence that fell upon the school when it had no students inside. Her eyes fell to the sofas in the corner, remembering a crucial moment in her life that occurred only a mere few weeks ago.

*flashback*

"Eddie, I've told you.. I only want to pick up some files and then you can take me back home." She only half joked, with Eddie trailing behind her like a wounded puppy. He was adamant she should still be on bed rest, even though he doctors had informed them both that small amounts of exercise would be good for her recovery. Rachel had taken that as being given the clear, and was determined to not let her work pile on top of her anymore. It had been 4 weeks since the fire, and she was ready for some normality in her life. The school was to be given an extra 2 weeks off from the usual 6 for summer, to prepare damage done by the fire and ensure it was safe to be attended by pupils again.

The 4 weeks it had been had been tough on both Rachel and Eddie. Rachel had felt useless, had gone through every stage of grief since that devastating day. With everyone now knowing about her past, she believed she had no job to return to and her mood had suffered as a result. She'd pushed Eddie away, even though the two had been in a relationship for months before this occurred. Eddie had known all about her past for even longer than that, so had done everything in his power to protect her from Stuart Hordly - and then the governors when he heard their plans regarding her position. When Rachel found out he had attended meetings to fight her corner, she'd been furious. She ended their relationship on the spot, adamant that she didn't need anyone's help.

But Eddie had retuned after 30 minutes and pretended the outburst hadn't happened, and found Rachel sobbing quietly to herself in her hospital bed. He'd taken hold of her and joined her on the bed, pulling her close and rocking her gently. The promises he'd whispered into her hair then were ones he never intended to break.

"Straight back to bed then Miss Mason, I want you back on top form just for me." Rachel rolled her eyes and picked up the stack of papers she needed.

"You just want your girlfriend in bed and naked all the time." She jabbed at his chest jokingly, glad they were able to get back to the previous level of jokes and banter. But Rachel's words stopped Eddie in his tracks, and she shook his shoulder when she noticed him lost in thought. She furrowed her brows in confusion at him when she had his attention back, and Eddie took the papers from her and placed them down before speaking.

"I'm not one for labels Rach, I've never felt right calling you my girlfriend." At his words, Rachel was even more confused. It was a strange way to start a break up speech if she'd ever heard one. Eddie must have noticed the panic in her eyes and smiled at her warmly, placing a hand to her face so her cheek was cupped to him. "I want this forever Rachel, you and me. How about it?" Eddie shrugged, as if he was asking a question as simple as what to have for dinner. He was determined, the previous events having solidified his love for her. They'd gotten off to a rocky start, but now he was sure of his future. His future was Rachel, and he wanted her to know that.

"Are you.. proposing?" She knew he was, of course. But needed confirmation. She got it in the simple nod of Eddie's head, and the blinding smile that graced his face. Rachel looked around the office and noticed her name plaque on the door, realising how foreign it looked to her now. A name she'd chosen having escaped the pits of despair, and one that now had the chance to be replaced by something meaningful. "Why wait? You want to marry me, I want to be your wife. It's only a piece of paper after all." Again, the words were said so casually that anyone would believe they were not having what could be considered the most important conversation two people could have about their future. Eddie answered by sweeping her off of her feet, kissing her hard as he did so. His smile was infectious and soon, their lips couldn't touch with how much they were both grinning.

No more conversations were had after that. A simple £400 later spent on the next available slot at Gretna Green, Rachel looked into Eddie's eyes as they both promised this was it for them. A kiss sealed the deal and the two witnesses clapped them both down the aisle as they walked towards their future.

*end of flashback*

She was drawn from her reverie as Eddie snorted in laughter and dropped a kiss onto her shoulder. "You're such a workaholic, it couldn't have been anywhere else."

"I am not!"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Are we or are we not currently sat in work during the holidays?"

"I'm the headteacher, Eddie!" she protested in a laugh, "I have to do paperwork, or little things like your paycheck don't happen."

"Bah, paperwork." He made a face and pulled her closer. "That word should be banned throughout all of August."

"Honey, it's September." She laughed at him, shaking her head and squirming as she attempted to break free of his grip. "Eddie, the quicker you let me go the quicker we can get out of here…"

He considered it. "Nah." He tightened his arms around her even further, drawing a wheezing laugh as she was squeezed.

"Eddie!"

He kissed her, now completely robbing her of her breath. "I'm pretty okay with staying here," he murmured as he broke away and the humour in her eyes vanished, replaced by something altogether more serious. She drew her fingers over his cheek, smiling softly when he turned his head to kiss them gently.

"I'm so glad you didn't leave when I asked you to," she said softly, half to herself. He gave her a half grin.

"Which time?"

She huffed out a slightly embarrassed laugh. "All of them," she amended, "but I meant the first time, in the hospital."

He remembered. It had been over a week since the fire, the first time she'd been on a low enough dose of drugs to be vaguely coherent, and aware enough to feel embarrassment over the state he was seeing her in. And he almost had done as she asked, if it hadn't been for the nurse who overheard and caught him in the corridor- she had the wrong idea about their relationship, had told him it wasn't uncommon for patients to push away their partners, that she would need his care and support despite what she was saying. He hadn't corrected her assumptions, merely thanked her and turned up at the start of visiting hours the next day as usual. And he had seen the flash of relief and pleasure on Rachel's face, before she frowned and began to berate him for not doing as he was told.

He never had been very good at that.

"Well, now you're really stuck with me," he commented lightly. "Why do you think I married you?"

And she laughed, just as he'd intended, but pressed her lips to his jaw in a soft, serious way that told him she understood. "You and me," she murmured, echoing the words he'd told her in the hospital.

"You and me," he agreed.

The next morning, the couple arrived at school earlier than usual. Only half a day to get them back in the swing of things shouldn't be too bad to deal with. However, compared to the newlywedded bliss that Eddie and Rachel had been living in, the early morning felt like hell. Cloudy Rochdale could not compare to the sunny beach of Greece that they had found themselves on during their very last minute honeymoon. Only a few days, but the poolside and feeling of total relaxation was all they felt they needed. For once, Rachel left her car and didn't feel the need to distance herself from Eddie. It was only a day with the staff for extra training on safeguarding, so there would be no children catcalling them for even looking at each other. No, the only person capable of doing that would be Steph Haydock. There would be no hiding it now, no reason to dodge questions about the occasional time they had driven to work in the same car or why Eddie always stayed late for work when Rachel had a meeting.

"How long until someone says something?" Eddie asked, and Rachel smiled over at him. He knew her too well by now, knew how much she worried for the opinion of others and hated receiving comments about her personal life. She had only seen a handful of staff since the revelation of her past, and that was purely to deal with the aftermath of the fire.

"I don't care." Rachel added truthfully, grasping onto Eddie's hand as they entered the main doors. Everyone could speculate for now, but it was only a matter of time before someone knocked on her office door and noticed the change in name.

"Are you sure?" He felt the need to ask for reassurance, not wanting Rachel to do anything she felt uncomfortable with. Eddie had always been more vocal in how open he wanted to be, how he didn't mind people knowing and wanting to shout from the rooftops about their relationship. But Rachel was reserved, she held her career close to her heart and protected it with everything she had. However, now she had faced having her personal life displayed on show to the entire school - she felt she had nothing left to lose.

"I'm sure. I love you." They headed towards the staff room, where their staff were waiting on their arrival. Inset days always felt more relaxed, and Rachel knew it was a great way to break in the new school year.

"I love you too Mrs Lawson." Eddie replied immediately, giving her hand a squeeze before dropping it as they arrived at the door. They shared a smile before both taking a deep breath and entering the room, completely oblivious for what a new year could hold for a place like Waterloo Road. Rachel had been kept up to date with any safeguarding cases over the summer, and had attended one case review and one court hearing. She had told the appropriate staff when required, so nothing needed to be mentioned as a whole. The previous day she had received news of an English teacher being pregnant, so would announce that after a private conversation before putting the appropriate steps in place for her leave.

"Good morning everyone!" Rachel broke the chatter with her loud voice, and everyone immediately quietened down as she spoke. Eddie stood beside her, watching her take control and get herself back into work mode. He loved seeing the two sides of her, getting to witness the role of head teacher and now the role of wife. "We're splitting into departments for a 9am start on training, and will meet back in here at 12 for a debrief. I have updates on the Lacey Wheeler case, her adoption has been approved so her name has legally been changed on all electrical registers. I'm waiting for a phone call from Harry Edward's social worker, there's been an incident over summer. I've had a message from Grace Jamie's mum, and Grace has found out she is 5 months pregnant. So I have promised that we as a school will be completely supportive in all ways we can." Rachel whittled off the information she had stored in her head from the previous day, making sure everyone was clued up on what they needed to know in their roles.

"Anything else you want to add Rachel?" Grantley called across the staff room, and a few gasps followed his question. Most looked at him in shock, wondering how he'd managed to have the confidence to ask something so publicly. It had only taken Emma Phillips, a science teacher, one trip to the secretary to change her phone number on the system, to spot Rachel's new name and report back to the full room.

Rachel knew what Grantly meant, of course, and definitely wasn't going to hide anything. She rolled her eyes and looked behind at Eddie, gesturing for him to join her at her side. He did so immediately, placing a hand at the bottom of her back to provide her the support she needed. "We got married, over the summer. I've taken Eddie's last name, so that has been changed in all the places it needs to be. That's all from me, I'll see you all back here at 12."

She was crimson, but kept her head high and focused on the feeling of warmth from Eddie's hand. She hadn't even finished talking when the whispers began... and not all the comments were pleasant.

She took a deep breath, and ignored them. If she were honest, she thought she'd have a little longer to prepare for this- comments about her past, her ability and suitability to be headteacher yes, but she thought she had at least a few more hours before this. That couldn't be helped now, she supposed, taking a deep breath to fortify herself.

"Hang on!" Tom called out, causing her eyes to snap to him. "You can't drop that bombshell and say nothing else! What happened?"

The thought occurred to her that as soon as he went home, Chlo and Donte would be told as well from there the school grapevine would take over well before the students arrived in the morning. She realised she hadn't actually answered yet, and waved a hand in the air. "We got married," she repeated dryly. "Come on folks- the quicker it's over the quicker we can all get out of here."

She had no idea that behind her, Eddie was watching her proudly. She stood straight, he noted, refusing to back down and he was pretty sure that he was the only one who had any idea that a few weeks ago, she hadn't even been sure she was going to return to school. Hell, he thought, only the previous night she'd been verging on a panic attack at the idea of facing everyone (he didn't tell her that in the first days after the fire, when she'd been in a coma and he'd been desperately trying to keep the school afloat in her place, that he'd got into more than one argument with people making even vaguely derogatory comments towards her, that for the first time ever he'd pulled rank and reminded the staff rather forcefully that he was the deputy, that for the time being she was still headteacher and that he had every right to discipline them if necessary).

He realised suddenly that he'd been so wrapped up in watching her, he'd completely missed the grumbling staff rise from their chairs, preparing to head to their respective rooms. "Was that okay?" she murmured to him, raising a hand to toy with the necklace at her throat.

"Of course." Covertly, his fingers brushed against hers, hidden by the angle of his body. Her small smile held no small amount of relief.

"Miss Mason? Mr Lawson?"

They both turned to Davina, hovering a few steps away. "Or, I suppose Mrs Lawson, now," the blonde hastily amended, blushing slightly. Rachel fought the beam that threatened when she heard that, and instead made an effort to smile warmly at her.

"Yes, Davina?"

"I know you don't want to talk your personal lives," she began, and Rachel's smile instantly dropped as ice pooled in her stomach. "But I just wanted to say congratulations."

"Thanks Davina," Eddie grinned at her, glancing at Rachel who couldn't hide the relief in her expression.

"Yes, thank you," she added, and the blonde grinned at them both, bouncing away to Tom's side.

"See?" Eddie nudged her. "Not all bad."

She rolled her eyes, and made a shooing motion. "Go, you'll hold everyone up."

He grinned, ducking his head so that he could murmur in her ear without anyone else overhearing. "I love you."

It brought an instant smile to her face, but he was gone across the room before she could even think to respond.

Tom waited outside of the staff room for Eddie, they were in different departments but they could talk on the way. Eddie appeared and Tom didn't hesitate to pounce, falling into step with him immediately as they walked the empty corridors. "So.. you married her?" He wasn't shocked at their relationship, the entire staff team and most students knew they were an item. The reveal of Rachel's past and how protective Eddie had been over her was all the confirmation that everyone needed. That, and the reaction of Eddie when Rachel had been trapped in the school as it burned.

Eddie let out a laugh at Tom's openness, knowing that the teacher was never known for being subtle. Tom was the one that Eddie considered himself to be closest to amongst the staff, and had relied on him for a chat on many occasions when he needed to vent. However, his relationship with Rachel was something that they never discussed as Eddie stayed true to his word in keeping that secret. "Sorry I didn't tell you mate, it was complicated." It was never that Eddie wanted to hide their relationship per say, but their positions in the school alongside the personal issues that were happening with Stuart Hordley, it never felt the right time to confirm anything.

Tom let out a laugh as Eddie clearly looked for a word to describe his relationship, and thought that complicated was putting it lightly. However, he wasn't one to judge. Only half the school had to witness his messy marriage breakdown, and the sudden switch of cars as he began to arrive with Izzie instead of Lorna. "Don't worry about it, but.. this isn't just a relationship. You're married?" He was aware that they definitely had other places to be, but he wanted to hear as much as possible before the day continued.

Eddie simply shrugged and smiled at the memory of the first time he kissed Rachel as his wife. "The fear I felt when I knew she was inside the school Tom, I'll never forget it. Nothing else matters, only her." Their walk stopped at the library, which is where the maths department were meeting for the training. As much as he could talk about Rachel all day, every day, now was far from the time or place.

Tom slapped a hard hand to Eddie's shoulder, hoping he wasn't bringing back painful memories. He was too preoccupied with Chlo and Davina on the day of the fire to have offered any kind of support to his friend and colleague, but he had reached out in the days afterwards. "Let's go for a drink, tomorrow? You can tell me all about it. And we'll probably need something strong after our first day here." Eddie agreed and the two parted ways, with Eddie stopping to compose himself before walking inside. Having to mention the fire was always a sore point for him, the memories being entirely overwhelming and too much to deal with as he faced the prospect of losing her. But he reminded himself that he hadn't lost her, she was entirely okay and only down the corridor in her office. Shaking his head, he entered the library and began the boring hours he had to complete before he could see his wife again.

It was far too long before the sessions finally finished and they could break for lunch, the entire staff happily hurrying to the hall for food. But just before Eddie walked in himself, something had him looking around the corridor and he spotted his wife stood at the end, leant against a wall as she stared out of the window. "I'll catch you up, mate," he told Tom absently, already walking away. Rachel seemed lost in her own world, not even looking up at his approach.

Worry knotted his stomach. "Rach?"

She jumped, a split second too late to hide the expression on her face but she tried, smiling at him as she straightened upright. "Hi. How was the safeguarding?"

He ignored her question, frowning worriedly as he studied her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine."

"Rachel." He was torn between amusement and exasperation, knowing full well that she wasn't. Something indecipherable crossed her face, too fast to see before she raised her hand to brush her fingers across his jaw.

"Really, I'm fine," she assured him. He merely quirked an eyebrow at her, refusing to give in.

"It was just... something someone said,"

she relented. "It caught me off-guard, that's all."

"Who said what?" He practically growled, eyes darkening.

"Nothing I'm going to repeat," she muttered, looking at the floor. Instantly, he pushed his anger to the back burner, and tilted her face towards him.

"Rach..." his voice was soft, but he couldn't find the right words to say that wouldn't sound like something he'd found on a self help manual. "I love you," he settled on, and now her smile was utterly genuine.

"And you have no idea how grateful for that I am," she murmured, cupping his cheek gently. He captured her hand to kiss her fingers, keeping them entwined as she stepped forward to rest her head on his shoulder.

"How can I help?" He questioned, half pleading.

"You already do."

He wrapped his spare arm around her, pressing a kiss to her head. "Tell me who?" he requested, but she shook her head against him.

"It doesn't matter. We knew it was going to happen." She sounded tired, and more than a little resigned and something inside him clenched unhappily.

"It does matter, love. They shouldn't say it, especially not to their boss."

"But they will. I knew when I decided to come back that I was going to have to face it, boss or not."

"Oi, you two!" Tom's voice from the end of the corridor had them both looking around, Rachel flushing slightly at being caught. "Are you coming to eat or what? We've saved you plates!"

"We're coming!" Eddie called back, and the man vanished, leaving Rachel to shoot a slightly quizzical look at her husband, who grinned.

"I think this is his way of telling us he approves," he commented, and Rachel laughed slightly.

"Well, at least one of them does."

"Two. Davina as well," he reminded her as they walked hand in hand to the hall.

"Two," she amended. "Could have been worse."

He laughed, tugging on her hand to slow her down so he could kiss her. "I'm sure it's more than two," he comforted. "It'll all be fine eventually."

"With the school still standing?" She raised an eyebrow, pausing with her hand on the door handle.

"That I make no promises about."

Rachel gave herself a shake before they walked into the room and faced the staff. She was the head of the school, for goodness sake. She faced angry parents and rowdy teenagers every day. She was not about to let the words of someone so insignificant ruin what had been the best summer of her life. She finally felt like her dreams had come true, she had a man by her side and a ring on her finger. They entered the hall side by side, with Rachel placing her hand on the top of Eddie's arm as they walked. She wanted to put on a united front, to show that nobody's opinion would ruin her mood.

Eddie offered to grab them some food so Rachel chose their drinks and found them seats that had luckily been left empty for them by Tom and Matt. She joined in the chatter as she waited, enjoying the happy buzz that seemed to be surrounded her staff as they entered a new school year. Eddie rejoined them and Rachel soon tucked into her food, pressed so close to Eddie that they were practically sharing a seat. She felt the need to be close to him, basking in the warmth and comfort that his presence provided for her.

A few of the staff members noticed the change in the pair, and shared knowing looks amongst themselves. Of course, the recent development had caused no end of discussion during their department time, with most expressing their complete shock at the sudden change. For a couple known for being private, so private that the relationship was never confirmed, it didn't escape them how quick this was happening. With a wedding and a name change, it was an out in the open as possible. The kids would for sure have a field day with the news, not to mention the parents when they got wind of it. However, as Matt Wilding looked over at the two, he couldn't help but smile. They were deep in conversation with Tom and Davina, but they'd sneak glances at each other every now and then. They were sat as close as possible, touching each other whenever it was deemed necessary.

Eddie caught his eye and looked away quickly, knowing he had been caught out after once more having his attention pulled to Rachel and getting lost in her beauty.

"You both seem really happy." The look of sincerity on Matt's face caused Eddie's grin to almost split in two. The arm that rested on the back of Rachel's chair moved to around her shoulders in order for him to pull her closer.

"Thank you Matt. I know it's a shock but truly, we are happy." Eddie commented, looking around the room as his voice echoed to see who had heard the clear warning when he spoke. His try wasn't in vain when he noticed the blush of embarrassment grace the cheeks of none other than Faye Scott, the science teacher known to place herself in the way of drama.

Faye wasn't jealous, per say. But she also couldn't be described as ecstatic either. Everyone had heard about Rachel's past, they'd all seen the article and read about her run in with the law. So why should she be the one to get it all? Faye had found Eddie attractive from the moment they were introduced, and she had always wondered why he had ignored her advances and obvious signs of flirting. Well, now she had her answer and it had been staring her in the face all along. The thought angered her, what made her so special? What did Eddie possibly see in her? She'd made her thoughts clear earlier when she voiced them to Rachel, but her words had clearly been repeated if Eddie's icy look was anything to go by.

She hadn't meant for her words to slip out how they did, but she saw Rachel on her own and couldn't let the opportunity pass.

"Does he get half price rates because he's a member of staff?" It was below the belt, Faye knew that. But then again, it was nothing Rachel hadn't heard before, remembering the vile words Stuart had hurled at them both which resulted in Eddie spending the night with peas on his knuckles. The words had pierced through her, having come from someone close to home. To bring such a personal matter into work and make the comment despite Rachel being a superior sent a chill down her spine, wondering what that meant everyone else was thinking.

She inhaled so sharply that Eddie could hear it, stiffening beneath his arm as her gaze fixed to the floor. The entire hall fell silent, all eyes on the three as Eddie pinned Faye with a furious glare. "Faye, I decked the last person who said something like that," he practically growled. "I've never hit a woman before, but that doesn't mean I won't start."

"Eddie!" Rachel hissed, placing a hand on his leg in an attempt to calm him.

"That was out of order, Faye," Davina frowned at her. Rachel desperately wanted to leave, but Eddie still had his arm wrapped around her and wriggling out of his hold would have drawn even more attention. He was still glowering at the science teacher, an incredibly awkward silence filling the hall.

Oddly enough, it was Steph who came to the rescue. "Oi, lovebirds. You ever going to tell us when you started dating so we can settle the pool?"

"What?" Eddie blinked owlishly at her, baffled at the sudden topic. She shrugged.

"A blind man could see how into each other you were. Nobody knew you were actually together though."

And just like that, a chorus of protests and laughs went up, good-natured bickering about the exact wording of the bet and who had won it drew the attention away from the couple, allowing Rachel to breathe again. Eddie brushed a kiss against her head, ducking down so that only she could hear him. "Are you okay?"

A few beats passed, and her hand still clutched at his knee. "No…" she breathed in reply, before she turned to look at him. "But I will be."

She studiously avoided meeting anyone's eyes, not moving away from Eddie's side despite an errant thought on how unprofessional it probably looked. But she didn't care, not when her heart was beating so hard she thought it might actually come out of her chest and her ragged breathing was so loud she was surprised Matt couldn't hear it from the other side of the room.

When the hour ticked around, people began moving, stretching as they stood and shuffling off to the next lot of training. Rachel lingered, slow to throw her plate away as the hall emptied, still not looking at anyone. "Rach?" Eddie was watching her worriedly, and she plastered her best smile on as she looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to be okay?"

God, did she look that bad that he felt he needed to babysit her? "I'm fine," she smiled, wondering if it looked as fixed as it felt. "You should go, you'll hold everyone up."

"Rachel…"

"I'm a big girl, Eddie," she said, a little too sharply. "I don't need you to hold my hand."

He held his hands up in surrender, backing away and turning on his heel. She thought about calling after him, apologising, but by the time she'd untangled her tongue he was already disappearing through the doors. She sighed, running a hand through her hair before she continued to clear up. When she was sure the few remaining stragglers were paying her no attention, she slipped from the hall, turning in the opposite direction to where she was supposed to be going.

A few minutes later found her outside, walking around the building as she gulped in lungfuls of air, clenching her hands in an attempt to stop the trembling of her fingers. She only came to a halt when she rounded a corner to a side of the building she knew was empty, where she wasn't in danger of being seen as she practically collapsed to the ground and dropped her head into her hands. Her heart was still beating too fast, her thoughts racing too quickly to pin down so she stopped trying to, and simply concentrated on breathing normally, which was proving more of a challenge than it usually was. In for four, out for four. In for four, out for four.

At some point, she hoped, this would start to work.

Some small part of her wasn't even surprised when she felt arms wrap around her. She didn't jump, didn't need to look back to know it was Eddie, because who else would it be? He manoeuvred them both so that she was in his lap, cocooned within his arms and then he simply sat, waiting for her to be ready.

She really didn't deserve him, she thought.

"I'm so pathetic." She commented, her words muffled into his shirt. She still felt completely breathless, but at least she was able to get out a few words. She felt Eddie move them to a more comfortable position, and then her head was being lifted by his soft fingers so they were looking right at each other.

"Far from it, actually." His words were sincere, and Rachel couldn't help her smile. She shook her head, ready to protest. Only to be silenced by Eddie's lips, what a brilliant way of being told to shut up. She allowed herself a few moments of enjoyment before pulling away with a small laugh.

"You need to get back inside to your team, I'll be fine." She hoped her voice was sounding more confident, but one look at Eddie's face told her that she wasn't fooling anyone, herself included.

"Rach, this is a lot." She looked at him in confusion, wondering what he was referring to. He rolled his eyes as a reply and tightened his grip on her waist. Sitting on the cold floor was far from comfortable, but trying to move them would only result in Rachel thinking of a valid reason to run away. "It's the first day back here since. Since Stuart, your past, the fire.." Eddie was no stranger to Rachel's panic attacks, he'd become quite accustomed to dealing with them in recent weeks. It was never a bother, and he'd become quite good at helping her through even her worst ones in the middle of the night. "Not to mention, the notoriously private Rachel Mason has returned with a husband and a new name, nobody can blame you for feeling overwhelmed." He added sincerely, running his fingers through her hair gently as she closed her eyes.

She knew it would be a lot, coming back to the place that had resulted in so many restless nights over recent weeks. She'd relived the dreaded assembly countless times, had repeated Stuart's speech word for word multiple times a day during her darkest times. She'd had nightmares of the fire, vivid memories of parts of her beloved building falling on top of her with disastrous consequences. Even though she had ventured into the school during the summer break, it had only been to pick up paperwork from her office and she had been able to avoid any other part of the school. Now it was refilled with members of staff and the same voices she hadn't heard since her past was revealed, the added comments had simply been too much.

"I need to be strong for them Eddie, the kids. They saw it all, they watched the school burn." Her eyes filled with tears, thinking of her students standing in fear. She thought of each one as her own, even if there were hundreds. Each one may be a handful in their own way, but their redeeming qualities had Rachel looking past each one with a deeper desire to protect them at all costs.

Eddie let out a scoff, a small laugh at how ridiculously in love he was with the woman resting in his arms. "You're here Rach, that's what I call strong." He placed a kiss to her forehead before continuing his speech to the woman that never failed to amaze him with her brilliance. She had her own demons the face, yet she worried most about each different student that would soon be walking back through the gates. "They watched it Rach, but you lived it. You were in there, that's what scared them the most. Forget what Stuart had said, they all respect you so much. You heard the applause, they wanted you to know they all still loved you as their head teacher. And then they had to wait to hear if you were okay. You read the letter from Bolton, didn't you?" Eddie knew she had, in fact, he knew she'd read it multiple times a day when she needed the added strength. He'd never been more grateful to Candiece Smilie than when she knocked on Rachel's door. It was a shock, for sure. But a handwritten letter from Bolton, explaining how much he appreciated Rachel was exactly what she had needed. Especially when it was discovered that the idea was completely his own, he simply wanted Rachel to know out of fear of losing her.

"He's just one kid though.."

"It's one more than what you thought you had fighting your corner. Plus, they won't remember any of that when they find out we're married.. Mrs Lawson."

She couldn't help but let out a laugh. "You're enjoying that, aren't you?"

"Can you blame me?"

She smiled slightly, rested her head on his shoulder. Overhead, birds lazily circled and the slight breeze rustled the trees and bushes; she watched them idly, and wrapped in her husband's arms she began to feel as if she could breathe properly for the first time that day. Eddie didn't move, glad when he began to feel the tension leak out of her- he hadn't realised just how stiff she had been until she'd started to relax and her breathing even out.

After a few minutes though, a thought occurred to him. "You aren't falling asleep on me, are you?"

She let out a laugh. "No. But would it be such a problem if I did?"

"Not a problem, per se. You just might have to carry me to the car when my back seized up."

"Are you calling me heavy?"

"Please, you're tiny. I'm saying I'm old and the ground is hard."

"You're hardly old."

"Michael would disagree. According to him, I'm was around with the dinosaurs."

"Michael's three. He thinks four-year-olds are ancient."

"That's so encouraging. Thank you love."

"Anytime." She was grinning against his shoulder and peeked up to look at his face. Instantly, her smile died. He was staring down at her, smiling with a look of such love and affection she felt as if she couldn't breathe, but for a completely different reason than before. She cupped the back of his neck, pulling him down to kiss him fiercely.

"What was that for?" he looked a little stunned, a dopily happy smile on his face. She ran her thumb over his cheek.

"I will never understand what I did to deserve you, but I am so, so grateful for it," she murmured. He looked slightly bemused, but she kissed him again and the question he was about to ask was lost as he felt her fingers slide through his hair to tug him closer.

The next morning, Rachel needed a few moments to compose herself before getting the courage to leave her bed. Granted, it was too early for any students to even be awake and thinking about school, but that didn't lessen her nerves. Eddie sensed her mood immediately but decided to let her have her much needed quiet time as she got herself ready. They worked in tandem as they danced around each other easily, Eddie trying his hardest to make the entire morning easier for Rachel. He made her coffee and kissed her cheek when he handed it to her, being rewarded with a small smile. He was still able to see the nerves swimming in her eyes though, and his heart sunk.

"It's not too late Rach." He approached carefully, perching on the bed as she sat at her vanity and applied mascara. They locked eyes in the mirror and she put down the wand, turning to face him.

With her brows furrowed together in confusion, she asked "Too late for what?"

Eddie took hold of her hand and cupped her face with his other, his eyes showing nothing but concern. He knew her through and through, could tell what she was thinking before she could find the words. "If we head there now, we can change everything back." She continued to look at him blankly but Eddie didn't let her speak as he carried on. "I love you for wanting to change your name, I love you even more for marrying me. But, I get that's it's a lot. We can change it all back and wait. I have you forever Rachel, that's all I care about."

Rachel looked at him in shock, instantly feeling guilty at how she had made the poor man suffer. She never meant for her mood to come across this way, or effect Eddie in the way it obviously had. She hated how she'd made him think she was anything but proud to wear his last name, to put on a united front and prove the world wrong. The day she decided to change her last name, she'd never be able to get over the look of utter joy on Eddie's face. He was ecstatic, immediately picking Rachel up and twirling her around. From that moment on, she never second guessed her decision. Her nerves revolved around her own insecurities, and the repercussions of the last time she stood in front of her students. "Darling, I'm so sorry." She leant forward and rested her forehead against Eddie's, gripping the back of his neck to hold him close to her. "It's not that, at all. I'm sorry I made you think that. I can't wait to reintroduce myself to everyone, with a new name too. I just can't help thinking about the last time I saw them all and what was said. I don't know what I'll do if they can't look past that, if it keeps being mentioned." She whispered honestly, wondering why she hadn't spoken her worries before as it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Eddie's voice was a lot more confident than Rachel's, the relief evident on his face now he was being let in to what was bothering her. "Until then, it's a guessing game. If anything is said, I'll deal with it." At the look she gave him, he barked out a laugh. "Professionally, of course." He corrected immediately. "You may be my wife, but I don't fancy you having to fire me."

Rachel laughed at his cheeky comment, and just like that, felt ready to take on the world. It wasn't going to be easy, that she was sure of. But whatever was thrown her way, she knew she would never need to tackle it alone. "Let's get going."

Another problem that occurred to her on the journey to school was how exactly to let the students know about her name change. Unless they had done something particularly ridiculous, they didn't tend to come near her office so wouldn't see the sign. She could correct them, she supposed, but that seemed tedious and truthfully, made her squirm a bit to imagine broadcasting herself to so many of them. But if she didn't correct them, how would that look to Eddie?

She was still mulling it over slightly when they arrived, climbing from the car. She automatically rounded it to get to the boot, but she didn't even have time to pick up her bags before Eddie had scooped them up instead, grinning at her. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him slightly as she merely shouldered her handbag, allowing him the victory. "You okay?" he murmured as they walked inside. She nodded silently, trying to ignore the vice around her chest as she resisted the urge to take his hand as they walked through the corridors. There were a few kids milling around, lost looking year sevens being ushered into the hall while the older years squealed and hugged their friends.

A few glanced at her and Eddie, immediately whispering amongst themselves once they'd passed. It was to be expected, she reminded herself. After all, the last time they'd seen her was when the firefighters were pulling her out of a burning building and handing her off the paramedics, mere hours after they'd all found out her biggest secret. And it would only get worse once they found out about the marriage, she thought as she pretended not to notice the whispers, or the slightly anxious glances Eddie was sending her way. They turned into another corridor, and she found herself blinking slightly as she caught sight of Chlo and Donte walking towards her hand in hand. When had that happened?

Then she realised they both had shit-eating grins on their faces, and were heading straight towards them. She quirked an eyebrow, and they glanced at each other before turning back to them, expressions impossibly growing even larger. "Morning Mrs Lawson, Mr Lawson," they chimed in unison.

Eddie snorted in laughter. "Tom," Rachel realised under her breath, shaking her head with a small smile. "Morning you two," she replied, rolling her eyes slightly.

"Oh. My. Days. WHAT?" Janeece gaped at them from her spot on the stairs.

"Well, that was easy," Eddie commented under his breath.

"Good morning Janeece," Rachel greeted, going to move past her up the stairs.

"Hang on! You two are married? Since when?" the girl bounced to her feet, agape. Eddie glanced at Rachel, who shrugged slightly.

"Over summer," he told Janeece, and knew that most of the school would now know before registration.

"OhmyGodohmyGod! That's so exciting!" she rounded on Chlo. "How could you not tell me sooner?"

"I only found out last night!"

Rachel shook her head in amusement, continuing up the stairs. "That solves that problem," she noted. Eddie laughed.

"We should have guessed those two would know as soon as Tom got home. I bet Maxine knew before Steph even had her coat off last night."

"Now that I can believe," she laughed as they reached the office, and immediately grimaced at the sight of her desk. "Okay, what could possibly have happened since we left last night?"

Eddie peered at the papers. "Hey, I can do some of these," he realised cheerily. His wife stared at him.

"Why are you so excited about that?"

He stuck his tongue out at her, grabbing a pen and a chair to get to work. She bit her lip to hide her smile as she sat behind the desk, and began to read.

Eddie's offer to help fell on death's ears after all of 5 minutes, when he grew tired of reading the same page of writing that no matter how hard he concentrated, seemed to make zero sense to him. "The thing is Rach, it's this lesson. I've planned it but I'm not sure the kids..."

"Just go Eddie." Rachel laughed, rolling her eyes and taking the paper from him. "And don't use the kids as an excuse for your laziness." She chastised, not as all meaning it as she offered him a smile.

He grinned in relief as he was released from his previous offer, dropping a quick kiss to her cheek before practically running from the office.

Rachel used the peace and quiet to get on with her work. Eddie wasn't a distraction, per say, but she had yet to get herself used to being back in work mode. They were still living in the honeymoon period, and it felt good for Rachel to finally allow herself to be open with her feelings. She knew they needed to be reined in now she was back at work, but it was currently a work in progress.

"Rachel, I swear I had no idea. She's adamant it wasn't her!" Steph burst into the office, interrupting Rachel's current work flow.

The head teacher let out a groan of frustration, practically slamming down her pen. It was the first morning back for the students, what could possibly have happened already? The first bell had only just rung, the first assembly not even scheduled to begin for another 15 minutes. "Who are we talking about? No idea about what?" She was scared to even ask, wondering just what trouble Steph had managed to encounter already.

Steph bit her lip, eyes narrowing on her hands that rested in her lap. "Maxine, there's some posters that have been made. Of you… and Eddie. I had no idea, I promise Rachel." Steph unfolded the paper that she had been keeping hold of, laying it on the table for her boss to see.

Rachel took hold of the sheet, and let out a loud laugh. She covered her mouth quickly to compose herself, but failed miserably. "Well, whoever it was, Maxine or not. They've certainly got an artistic flair." She studied the badly photo-shopped image, rolling her eyes at the images used. Eddie's image was that from his old drug campaign, one he had been absolutely mortified about when it began to circulate. Unsurprisingly, hers was from the article about her past. Their heads were on the bodies of a celebrity couple, a couple in which Rachel had no idea who they were. They were, however, stood outside a Las Vegas chapel. "At least me and Eddie did things a bit classier."

"Wait, you're not mad?" Steph asked cautiously, having expected Rachel to have hit the roof with the development. "Also, I want to hear the details. And see the pictures." She pressed, taking any opportunity she was given to gain a small ounce of gossip.

Rachel rolled her eyes, standing and making her way to the door so to not be late for assembly. "No, I'm not mad. It was expected, we're not naïve. Granted, they've put a lot more thought into it than I anticipated. I will find out who did it though. It may be funny, but it can't continue." The two headed towards the hall, where Rachel knew the school were waiting on her arrival.

"Fair enough." Steph agreed, wondering who on earth this new woman was and what she had done with her boss. "So, will I get to see the wedding photos?" She urged, taking advantage of Rachel's obvious good mood.

"We'll see." Rachel smirked, reaching the door and stopping to compose herself before entering. The last time she had stood on that stage, her entire world had crumbled.

"Knock em dead." Steph seemed to sense her mood and offered a small smile, before throwing the doors open and making Rachel step inside.

The entire student body turned to face her, and she plastered her smile reserved for work onto her face. She walked past them with a spring in her step, locking eyes with Eddie momentarily and allowing her smile to turn real for a split second. She walked the stairs and finally faced the school head on, clearing her throat before she addressed them.

"Good morning Waterloo Road, and welcome to our new Year 7 students. I am your head teacher, Mrs Lawson." At that, the crowd erupted. Rachel let out a sigh, that soon turned into a laugh. "Yes, yes. Alright, you've had your laughs. Can I get on now?" She rolled her eyes, knowing her words would do nothing to calm down the excited older years. The poor Year 7's looked terrified at the noise, and Rachel knew she needed to pull them back immediately.

She raised her fingers, let out a piecing whistle that for the most part, instantly quieted the kids. She looked pointedly at the few it didn't. "Bolton, don't make me put you in detention before lessons have even started."

"Sorry miss." He sat down with a bump. She shook her head slightly, still smiling.

"Alright then. Let's get started." And just like that, she was back.

At the back of the hall, Eddie had a grin on his face as he watched her, pride sparking within him. Tom leant over to him, not taking his eyes off her. "I'll tell you one thing- she has balls."

Eddie caught himself just before he snorted in laughter. "That's one way to put it."

"Is she actually as unphased as she looks?"

"'Course not. You should have seen her a couple of hours ago," Eddie muttered. "Especially after yesterday."

"Faye?"

"Yeah."

"She was out of line."

Eddie glanced at him. "Well, we know that. But do you think Rachel does?"

At this point, Steph turned around to glare at them, pointedly raising a finger to her lips and they obediently fell silent. Eddie carried on watching his wife, only realising after that he had no idea what she'd said.

"Any other notices?" Rachel looked enquiringly towards the teachers, and when no spoke up she smiled. "Okay then. Form tutors dismiss from the back please. Everyone, enjoy your first day back!"

Chatter immediately erupted, the back few rows standing with a clatter. Rachel slipped out of the hall, letting out a slow breath in relief as she hurried down a side corridor, leaning against the wall for a long second. If the most noteworthy thing for the kids was her marriage, she'd take it, she thought. She jumped when someone came into the corridor after her, relaxing when she saw it was only Eddie. "Don't you have a class?"

He didn't reply, simply pulling her towards him and kissing her hard.

She blinked in surprise as they separated, a smile spreading across her face. "What was that for?"

"Because you're extraordinary," he said simply, raising his hand to brush her hair back and revelling in the slightly stunned, but delighted expression on her face. She glanced anxiously up and down the corridor; they were still alone, and so she leant in to brush her lips over his all too briefly before stepping away, grinning at him.

"You have a lesson to teach," she reminded him, walking away. She heard him chuckle behind her, but forced herself not to turn around. She had things to do after all, and she still had to prep for the interviews later. What on earth had possessed her to schedule them on the first day of term?

Rachel's morning went a lot slower than she wanted, and she found herself stuck in the old habit of watching the clock. She hadn't even been able to see Eddie at break time as he was on duty and she was simply snowed under with paperwork. She was trying her hardest to concentrate, so she kept telling herself. But it always took her a while to get back into the swing of desk work and emails, this morning being no different. She had gotten used to lazy mornings, waking up after 10 and giving herself another hour to simply lie in Eddie's arms and discuss their plans for the day. They'd rise only when their stomachs made them, and then decide if they wanted to venture back to bed after all. They truly were, as some would say, in the honeymoon stage. Eddie was on her mind at all points of the day when they weren't together, and even more so when they were. She traced her fingers over her lips, remembering the heart stopping kiss he had planted on her before they had left this morning. Suddenly, she was pulled from her thoughts by a soft knock on the door.

"Come in." She shouted, glad to have the distraction from her own thoughts. Expecting a member of staff to come in baring more bad news, she was surprised to be faced with a year 12 who looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. "Julia, come and sit down." She offered the girl, and called out for her to not be disturbed before shutting the door and joining her on the sofa. "Are you okay?" Her face told her she wasn't, the fact that she was in her office proved the fact even more so. As much as she hated to label any of the kids, Julia was still considered one of the "good kids". Great GCSE results, academic A Levels picked and her entire life planned ahead of her with a career in mind.

Julia played with her fingers as a sure sign of nervousness, focusing on a loose piece of cotton from her skirt rather than look anywhere in Rachel's direction. She didn't know how to approach the subject, was scared that saying it out loud made her worries real. "How did you know miss? That you wanted to get married?" There, she'd said it. She hadn't said much, far from it actually, but she had started the conversation at least.

Rachel was taken back, of all the things she had been expecting, that question was nowhere close to being it. She looked at Julia before continuing, knowing that the poor girl needed nothing but honesty if she had chosen her headteacher to bring the issue to. "Only when I met Mr Lawson. Before then, I never wanted to get married. I had my job, that was enough for me. But he changed my mind, and trust me, I took some persuading." She laughed, but Julia didn't laugh along. Rachel knew this was serious, and she needed to find out why. "Why do you ask?" She approached delicately, taking hold of Julia's hands and placing them gently down in her lap, before she completely tore all skin from around her fingernails.

"It's just..." Julia started, and then stopped. How much was too much to say? Would she get in trouble? Would he? She glanced at the clock, knowing that she needed to say something now before it was too late. "It's Alex, miss. He wants to get married. After school. At first, I thought it was a good idea. I love him, you know?"

Rachel let her speak, knowing she needed an outlet for all the feelings she had been keeping inside for god knows how long.

"My parents even said they'd agree, if it's what I wanted. But I just wondered, how do you know? I'm 16, it's a big deal isn't it? And I don't think I look at him the way you look at Mr Lawson." She admitted quietly, voicing her worries that had been plaguing her since the mornings assembly. Before then, she had agreed with everything Alex wanted. If he wanted a wedding, she'd give him that. But seeing the way Miss Mason had grinned as she spoke her new name, she knew she wasn't even close to feeling as happy as she was. Isn't that the whole point of a wedding? To feel excited? Proud even.

Rachel wondered how to proceed, completely floored with the revelation she had been presented with. She knew Waterloo Road never had an off day, but this was only the first day back! "If this is what you want, as your headteacher, I can offer you my full support." Rachel decided the best way to approach would be to give the poor teenager options, ones she hadn't considered before agreeing to her boyfriends plans. She hadn't even know Julia was seeing Alex, never mind that the year 13 had proposed immediate marriage. "But if this isn't what you want, as your headteacher, I can promise you that I will stop this." She left it there, not saying anymore as she let Julia think. The decision needed to be completely hers.

Minutes passed, and Julia continued to way up her options mentally. Would Alex leave her? Would all of her friends find out? How exactly could Miss Mason get her out of this, when Alex had told her everything was sorted. "I can't do it." She finally admitted, looking at Rachel with tears in her eyes. Losing Alex would come to nothing if her alternative was to lose her life, her independence, her identify. She wanted the happiness that was clearly radiating from her headteacher, eventually.

"Then you won't." Rachel promised, pulling the girl against her as she let out a sob. She allowed Julia to cry for a full moments before getting up to grab her some tissues. As Julia cleaned her face, Rachel told her of her plans. "First, we get your parents here. If we talk to them together, we can sort this." The look of fear in Julia's eyes broke Rachel's heart. "We see if they're okay with letting Alex know they no longer give permission, then there's no blame on you. It's up to you what you choose to do with him from then on, but I will not allow you to be pressured into anything, got it?" Julia nodded at Rachel, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was so grateful for her headteacher, she wasn't sure any other head would be as supportive or understanding.

And so Rachel found herself on the phone to the girl's parents, who seemed to be a bit bemused as to why their daughter's headteacher was involved in her relationship. They agreed to Rachel's plan though, intending to withdraw their consent when Alex came around that evening. Julia looked relieved, then distraught all over again. "What if he doesn't want to be with me after?"

Rachel rounded the desk to sit next to her again. "Sweetheart, if he loves you enough that he wants to marry you, then he will love you enough to wait. And if he doesn't… would you really want to be with someone like that?"

The girl thought about it, then slowly shook her head. "I suppose not," she admitted. Rachel studied her for a moment.

"Talk to him," she told her. Julia looked quizzical, and she elaborated. "The most important thing in a relationship is to talk to each other. Be honest. If you want to be with him but you're not sure you're ready for marriage, tell him that. Tell him how you feel."

"What if he doesn't want to wait?"

Rachel bit her lip, shifting on the sofa. "If there is one thing I've learnt in life, it's that love isn't just an emotion. It's a choice, and it's one that you have to decide to make."

"A choice?"

She nodded. "You have to choose. If you want to be with Alex, you have to choose to put work into that relationship. Choose to risk getting hurt, choose to open yourself up to him. And choose to trust him, trust that he won't walk away."

"But what if he does?"

"Then you have to choose what you value more- your wants and desires or his," she said simply. Julia looked daunted for a second, then took a deep breath and squared her shoulders.

"I know what I want," she said firmly. "And if he's not okay with that, then maybe he's not right for me."

Rachel smiled, which only grew when the girl leant over and gave her a quick hug. "Thanks miss," she mumbled into her shoulder.

"You're welcome. And for what it's worth, I hope it all works out for you."

She grinned, grabbing her bag and making to leave, only to pause at the door. "Miss?" she turned to look at Rachel, who raised an inquiring eyebrow. "I'm glad you came back," she said simply, and vanished out the door.

Rachel smiled slightly; she was glad too.

Julia had only been gone for a few seconds when her assistant poked her head in. "Reception just called- your first interview is here."

"Damn, they're early," she muttered. "Have you seen Mr Lawson?"

"No, sorry."

"Well, they'll just have to wait," she sighed, beginning to rearrange her office to conduct interviews in and hoping Eddie didn't forget.

The man in question ran in 15 minutes later, looking completely flustered and apologizing profusely. "So sorry Rach, there was a fight and I couldn't find Steph because it involved Max and..."

"You're here now, it's fine Eddie." She touched his arm lightly and gestured for him to sit next to her. She knew he wouldn't have forgotten, and was grateful to have him beside her. "Rose, can you send the first one in?" She called through the window, pressing a quick kiss to Eddie's cheek as she shook her head lightly. Eddie noticed that was Rachel turning on her professional head, her demeanor changing in front of his eyes as his wife disappeared and was replaced by the calm and collected head teacher he had fallen in love with.

Rachel turned her attention towards the door as it opened, but as she caught sight of the first woman to walk through, she found herself rooted to the spot. Unable to move, barely even remembering to breathe as she was faced with a blast from the past she had frankly hoped to never see again. Eddie, completely unaware of his wife's predicament, stood up to greet the woman. "Welcome, I'm Eddie Lawson, deputy head. This is.."

"Amanda?" Eddie froze as he finally caught a glimpse at Rachel, who looked ahead in fear as if seeing a ghost. Luckily, she raised her eyes to meet his and allowed herself to shake from her trance, standing up to join him.

"Rachel Lawson actually, head of this school. What are you doing here Melissa?" She finally acknowledged her sister, thriving in the shock that was evident on her face as she introduced herself.

"What is this?" Eddie asked aloud, wanting to be filled in on the situation he was faced with. Rachel knowing the interviewee on first name basis had him asking the question, and he couldn't help but spot the similarities between the two. That couldn't mean?

"Eddie, this is my little sister." Rachel answered, and Eddie realised that it could in fact mean the two were related. He knew all about her family, and immediately inched himself closer to her as a form of protection. Rachel had lost her mother shortly after her younger sister was born, leaving the two girls to be raised by their father. He didn't appreciate having to put in the extra work that came with being the sole parent to two young children, so remarried multiple times in an attempt to get a mother figure to care for his girls. When Rachel started her teenage years, Mr Fenshaw's newest wife became abusive towards Rachel and openly favored Melissa. With nobody believing her, Rachel got out as soon as she could. She ran away and got involved in the wrong crowd, with the rest being well documented history.

Melissa had been piecing together the information in her head, trying to get over the shock of seeing her sister in the flesh after to long. She'd gone years without even a photo, no idea what had come of the sister she was starting to forget. "You're married?" So many questions, yet that was the first one she could think to ask. The look on Rachel's face proved she had made a wrong move, and mentally kicked herself as soon as the words were out.

Rachel gave her a curt nod in response. There was silence, the two sisters staring at each other while Eddie glanced warily between them, wanting to reach out to Rachel but unsure of how welcome it would be right now.

"Why did you change your name?" Melissa questioned eventually. "Your first name, I mean."

Eddie winced, saw his wife flinch almost imperceptibly. "That… is a very long story," she replied reluctantly. "And if you still want to apply for this job, we should get on. There are more applicants who are waiting."

Eddie knew what she was doing. Work always had and probably always would be her escape. He didn't miss the paper she nudged in his direction, a silent request for him to take the lead and he did so, with Rachel only speaking to add in anything extra she thought of. It wasn't a fantastic interview, but that was probably because Melissa kept glancing at Rachel, the stunned looks never quite leaving either of their faces.

Eventually, Eddie gave up and cut the interview short. Rachel knew, of course, but he didn't think Melissa even noticed. They stood, and all three hovered awkwardly, none knowing quite what to say.

"Amanda…" Melissa watched her sister's face contort for a second, and hastily corrected herself. "Rachel. Can we…?" she trailed off, catching her lip in her teeth. Rachel knew what she meant anyway.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please?"

It was her tone more than the plea itself that had Rachel hesitating. She looked down unseeingly at her desk, heart in her throat as her mind raced. "Midday on Saturday, at Denny's in town," she offered eventually. Melissa looked relieved, and hurriedly nodded.

"I'll be there."

"And Mel?" Rachel called out, just before she could leave. She looked back enquiringly. "No one else."

The warning in her tone was clear, and Melissa nodded, giving a single, hesitant smile before slipping out of the room. Rachel instantly sagged forward, catching herself on her desk and taking several deep breaths. Eddie ran a hand down her spine, silently waiting for her to be ready.

"I can't right now," she told him without looking up, voice pained. "The rest of the day… I can tell you and break down afterwards. But right now…"

"It's okay." His hand rested on her lower back. "Whatever you need."

She took some more deep breath, closing her eyes and allowing herself to focus on nothing but the warmth coming from his hand. "Okay," she murmured finally, straightening up. "Let's get the next one in here."

If he hadn't already known, Eddie would never have guessed she was anything but utterly focused on the interviews. They called applicant after applicant, she smiled and greeted each one, asking questions and never once becoming even a little distracted. He had no idea how she was doing it.

The final one left, and she sighed, resting her head into her hands. He was moments away from pulling her up and into his arms, when a knock on the door had them both looking up, confusion visible when the man who had left only seconds before returned with a note in hand. And Eddie's stomach dropped away when he saw the look on Rachel's face as she read it.

"What is it?" Eddie asked tentatively, scared to even ask the question with fear of what the reply may be.

Rachel looked up at him with fear he had only seen on her face once before, and that was when she first caught sight of the scar on her chest. She worried so much that Eddie would run a mile that she ran enough for the both of them, shutting him out entirely out of fear of rejection. Now, the fear she felt then was multiplied by thousands, and that showed completely in her eyes. "There's a gun in the school."

Eddie felt the blood drain from his face, an overwhelming instinct to protect his wife completely clouding any rational and professional thought he knew he should be feeling. He ached to take her into his arms, to pull her against his chest and take her far away from the place that seemed to constantly cause her harm. "What?" He knew he hadn't misheard Rachel, but ached for some form of clarification. However, the look on her face showed him that she was shutting down and he would have to take charge of whatever situation presented itself.

Rachel let out a laugh of disbelief, throwing the note down like it was burnt her. She looked at the offending item and quickly had a change of heart, picking it up once more and rereading it once more. "This is somebody's idea of a joke."

"Pretty sick joke." Eddie knew Rachel needed to process the news, but also knew they were required to act on the information and deal with the note accordingly. He watched her pace for a moment before taking hold of her arms, turning her to face him as she finally lost control of her emotions.

The frantic look on her face could not be hidden, her eyes darting around his face before settling on his eyes to give her some form of clarity. "What? A gun? Here? Eddie, on our first day back." She shook her head, cursing herself for allowing the tears to build up in her eyes. "No. I'm not falling for that." She declared, refusing to acknowledge the shake in her voice as she spoke the final words.

Eddie tried to interrupt, calling her name multiple times to shake her from the panicked state she had retreated into. "Rachel!"

Far from listening now, she paced to the window and looked out to the playground, trying to catch sight of whoever had left the note and ran off after pulling the prank. "Ridiculous. When I find out who's done that." She swore, dreaming of the different scenarios she could inflict on the poor student who decided to cross her today of all days. Drama free, that's what she'd promised herself. A day where the only drama she wanted involved the change in name and the uproar that would cause amongst the students.

"Rachel calm down." Eddie begged, coming to stand behind her and take hold of her hips. She refused to turn towards him, knowing that looking at him would cause her to crumble. "I won't calm down. Eddie, this is Rochdale. It's not Hackney or Moss Side. It's not happening here."

"You have to evacuate the school." He reasoned, knowing this was a protocol they had only ever discussed in passing. Nobody had dreamt to ever practice a scenario like this, hadn't been thought of as possible when discussing when next to plan a fire drill.

"I'm not doing that." Rachel confirmed, shaking her head with a firm no. "I'm not going to put people through that again."

With her finally facing him once more, Eddie knew he was close to getting the truth of her fear out into the open. "The fire." He confirmed, voicing her fears so hopefully she wouldn't need to. They both knew the reason for her panic, knew it was entirely justified.

"I don't want this school to be full of panicked and traumatized kids. This is supposed to be a place of safety."

"I know."

"For the kids." And for herself, she knew that. Work was her sanctuary, especially with Eddie by her side. That was taken away from her on that disastrous day last term, and she was determined not to let that happen again.

"Of course." He knew the meaning of her words, knew she longed to feel safe and in charge in the job that had both changed and saved her life. But they had children to protect, policies to follow, plans to put in place. He tilted her chin towards him and kept hold of her gaze. "Now, listen. We do this quietly. Class by class. We keep it calm, controlled. We do it that way and nobody is going to panic or do anything stupid. Okay?" It was more for her than for the students, but she was up there with his main concern. If she was okay, if she was safe and coping, then everything else should hopefully fall into place.

"Okay. Right. Nobody is going to do anything stupid, are they?" Rachel nodded along, finally agreeing and shaking herself back into the role of headmistress. She knew she had lost herself to sheer panic only moments before, but luckily it was only her husband that had witnessed her downfall.

"Right."

"Right. Thank you. I'll call the police. And you evacuate the school." She all but ordered, nodding her head as she turned back to face her phone.

"Good."

"Right." Rachel turned back as Eddie was leaving, starting his walk to make on his promise and start sorting out this mess they were presented with. But she knew was she needed to do, and pulled him back flush against her. She kissed him quickly, their lips moulding together as a stray tear slid down her cheek. Rachel held him close, her hands pressed hard against his back so he didn't feel her shake.

Although, he felt it, of course he did. He finally pulled away, placing a more chaste and gentle kiss to her mouth before pressing their foreheads together. "I love you." He promised, their locked eyes both showing unshed tears having been forced into an impossible situation once again.

"I love you too." Rachel finally let go, allowing him to leave. If she hadn't do it then, she would have glued herself to his side and not looked back. She strolled over to her phone and picked it up, closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh as the operation asked her which service it was that she required.

That saying of the calm before the storm was strangely apt as she made her way down to the playground. She could hear birdsong, and traffic and her own heartbeat but nothing else... until she saw the door pushed open. The kids all looked a mixture of confused and excited, the teachers trying to hide their concern as they corralled their form groups into vague lines. Eddie glanced at her worriedly, resisting the urge to cross to her as he dealt with his own registration group.

He regretted that decision very quickly.

If he'd gone to her, he could have stopped her re-entering the school. He vaguely remembered trying to go after her, fighting the arms that held him back, vaguely remembered the clogging fear in his throat as his heart pounded in his ears and his legs felt bizarrely unsteady beneath him. Remembered the stark mixture of relief and terror when she stepped out of the building, of course shielding Denzil Kelly with her own body.

His gaze never left his wife. He was barely aware of everything else happening, until he realised that he could get to her now, Denzil being driven away and he stalked towards her, shaking in anger. "Rachel! That was…! I mean, going back in there? Wasn't once enough?" he demanded furiously, uncaring if anyone overheard. "When are you going to get it into your head that you can't save everybody?"

Her head snapped around to meet his gaze. "I can try!"

They glared at each other for a moment. The edges of his vision glimmered in a red haze, and Eddie was genuinely concerned about what he'd do next. And so he merely turned on his heel and walked away, using the chaos to slip around the side of the building, hitting the wall and sliding down it.

He took deep breaths, eyes closed as he shoved that fear and anger deep down, until he could think rationally again and no longer felt as if his throat had closed. And then he stood on steadier legs, rejoining the chaos of the school; Rachel had a sobbing Sambuca in her arms, struggling to comfort both her and a devastated Marley. Eddie pushed away the feelings that lurched inside him and joined them, gripping the boy's shoulder and casting an odd look at Earl, who looked strangely dispassionate about the whole thing.

In the end, he was glad of the kids presence, glad when they accompanied them to police station. It meant he didn't have to face Rachel alone, could pretend not to see the anxious glances she cast towards him. Could act like his hands didn't still feel shaky.

But eventually, of course, they were alone in the car, silence thick and heavy around them. Supposed to be going to the pub, a celebration that wouldn't be one. He was driving, fingers clenched so tightly they were beginning to go numb. Rachel rested her head against the seat, exhaustion crashing through her. She knew Eddie was angry, she just wasn't entirely sure what to do about it.

Without warning, he pulled into a layby and switched the car off, causing her to cast him a curious look. "Eddie-?" He climbed from the car without a word and she frowned, unbuckling her seatbelt, intending to go after him. But there was no need- he came around to her door, opening it and pulled her out the car. She stumbled slightly, tripping over the lip. "Eddie, what-?" her words were cut off as his arms came around her, holding her so tightly she almost couldn't breathe.

"I'm so angry with you." His words were muffled against her, and punctuated by his grip impossibly tightening.

She knew by the shake in his voice how true his words were, and her stomach dropped with what she'd put him through. Only this morning did she promise to put her life as his wife before her like as the schools headteacher, and had completely forgotten that on day one. Her actions were spurred on by her need to protect both the students and the school itself. Her need to not have a repeat of the fire had caused her brain to malfunction and not think about anything but settling the latest drama that she had been faced with. "Eddie, look at me." She noticed that her husband had yet to meet her eyes, and she felt floored with the worry that she'd finally taken it too far. Although the fire had brought them closer together and lead to their marriage, it didn't mean Eddie had been happy at the thought of losing her. He fought from her beside to get her back to full health, and only then did he make her promise that they needed to put each other first and before their careers. Now, she may have lost it all and she found herself wondering how she'd been so stupid to consider doing something that could cause him to walk away.

Eddie fought with his options, knowing he had every right to walk away or at least let her think about her actions for a few days. But his love for her won out, and he didn't want her facing any more turmoil than she would be putting herself through. Rachel had a habit of punishing herself enough for a hundred people, never mind just for him. He looked into her eyes and took a hold of her head, bringing their foreheads together as he stared her down. "I almost lost you, I couldn't get in." He decided to leave out details about the multiple men he had tried to throw to the floor in order to run in after her, decided not to mention the abuse he had screamed at Ralph Mellor when he took his turn in restraining Eddie. "Wasn't once enough?" He whispered, repeating his earlier question. His voice cracked as his eyes filled with tears, hoping he would have some way of getting through to her.

Rachel allowed herself to imagine the pain Eddie must be feeling. He had sat by her beside, only days after telling her that he loved her for the first time, and waited for her to take her first breath without the help from machines. He had held both her hands and helped her to take her first steps, then waited at the bottom of the corridor and cheered her on as she took even more but this time, unaided. He had felt the pain of losing her once before, not knowing if he'd see her smile again and yet, she'd brought all that pain back for him. Her emotions hit her dead in the chest and the feeling caused her to topple towards him, grateful when he caught her. She let out a sob and clung to his jacket, immediately soaking his blue shirt with her tears. "What have I done? I'm so sorry." She whispered, hiding her face and shaking her head as reality hit her with full force.

Eddie knew this was a possibility, that she'd beat herself up no matter the outcome. She'd saved Denzil from firing any more shots, but at what cost? What would be the next disaster, the next heroic move that Rachel would be forced to take in order to save another troubled teen? As Eddie looked down at her and rocked her gently against him, he realised what she meant with her words. She thought he was leaving, thought he'd had enough and would be packing his bags. At this, he moved them back slowly until his back hit his car and slid them down onto the ground so he could be at her eye level. There, he lifted her head once more and placed a soft kiss to her lips. She tasted of salt and tears, but he didn't care as he pressed a second in the same spot for luck. "It can be fixed." He promised, wanting her to know that he wasn't giving up on her or their relationship. "It was stupid, I can't argue that. I was scared out of my mind, but I'm not leaving Rachel." Her eyes lit up at his words, and he allowed himself to smile momentarily at her. "If I leave, how can I remind you every single day to stop putting yourself in danger?"

"Denzil's just a baby." Rachel reasoned, remembering the way he shook beside her when faced with armed guns and multiple policemen. She was as scared as him, panicked at the thought of a wrong move and an image of a child being shot that she would never be able to forget.

Eddie hummed his agreement towards her and nodded his head, knowing that it had been a traumatic day for all involved. "The hundreds of kids at that school, they need you. Bolton needs you, Janeece and Michaela need you. The staff need you. Who else can council Tom when he rushes into yet another marriage?" Rachel let out a laugh as Eddie trailed off, and his silence had her meeting his eyes once more. "I need you.. god, I need you Rach. More than any of them, I need you. And I love you. I cannot face losing you, not again."

She cupped his face with her hand. "I am sorry. I didn't think- I just couldn't face another person being hurt in my school. He was so scared, Eddie."

He turned his head to kiss her palm, some of his residual anger melting away. "I know. You wouldn't be you if you didn't do ridiculous things like today. But Rachel... it's not your job to protect the world."

"But it is to protect those kids," she insisted.

"Not at the cost of your own life!"

"Do you really think I could ever live with myself if something happened, and I hadn't done everything I could?" she demanded. "Eddie, how can I not at least try?"

He sighed, pressed his forehead against hers. He knew her, he knew how fiercely she cared for the all of kids. But she was his wife, and maybe it was selfish, but he wanted her safe above all else. "I love you. But sometimes, you're completely impossible."

"Would you have me any other way?"

He recognised her attempt to lighten things between them, and managed to give her a pained smile. "I suppose not."

His serious tone had her expression sobering. "I am sorry, Eddie." She touched his cheek gently with her fingertips.

"I know." He leant to kiss her again, then once more for good measure. "The others will be waiting for us."

"Let them wait." She kissed him again, arms winding around his neck and he responded fiercely, fingers bruising her hips as he tugged her closed so that she was practically on his lap.

"You scared the life out of me today," he mumbled against her lips.

"I scared myself," she admitted. "I'm not used to considering another person when I do things, Eddie."

He nodded sharply, accepting her words. "We're in a layby," he said suddenly, looking around and she snickered.

"You stopped here."

"It wasn't really a conscious decision."

She buried her face in his shoulder to hide her laughter, half amusement and half relief.

"We should probably go. We'll never live it down if we don't show up."

"They won't even notice we're not there."

"Steph will," he pointed out and she grimaced. "Come on-," He levered himself to his feet, pulled her to hers. "A couple of hours, then we can go home."

She stood on tiptoes to brush her lips against his jaw. "Home sounds good."

This wasn't over, both knew. But for now it could be put to rest.

Arriving at the pub, Rachel hoped they could slip in unnoticed and join in with whatever conversation was taking place. However. her plans were scuppered, when she found Steph launching herself at her from across the room as soon as they had stepped foot inside. "Thank god you're okay!" The blonde explained, giving the headteacher a squeeze for good measure before pulling back and looking at the couple, choosing to ignore the look of horror on Rachel's face and complete amusement on Eddie's. "And what time do you call this?"

Eddie couldn't stop his laugh that time, focusing solely on how utterly confused and horrified Rachel looked after being bear hugged by none other than Steph Haydock. Instead of choosing the chivalrous route and saving his wife, he unhelpfully decided to escape and leave her to it momentarily. He kissed her on the cheek as he walked past her. "I'll get our drinks." He added cheekily, not paying any attention to the death glares he was on the receiving end of.

Rachel couldn't believe it. She knew Eddie was angry at her, but she wasn't sure she deserved this. Facing Steph alone was a mammoth task in itself, never mind when she was 3 glasses of wine in. She didn't react in enough time to give the woman a hug back, and was slightly grateful for the fact. Eddie had left her side before she even had chance to process what was happening, and Rachel felt like she needed to sit down already. "Steph, I'm fine. I'm sorry we're late, we had some things to discuss." She hoped the look on her face was enough to stop her from asking questions, but of course, Rachel forgot who she was talking to. She was immediately taken by the arm and marched towards a table, shoved into a seat and tackled with questions straight away. She felt like a member of game show, with Steph demanding answers and rapid fire rounds with much less compassion than Eddie. She wanted to know why Rachel had been so stupid and then wanted to know exactly how Eddie had reacted.

Eddie collected their drinks and was about to go over to save his wife, but saw Tom approach so slowed down on his movements.

"How angry are you?" Tom asked carefully, wondering if he was approaching a ticking time bomb, with his question being the reason for its explosion.

The deputy rested his drinks back on the bar and decided that Rachel could wait, considering it his own form of punishment for what had transpired during the day. He turned to his friend and colleague, a look of despair on his face. "Pretty angry mate. I mean, first day back after the fire? That's got to be a record." Eddie wasn't sure if he meant it in disbelief that the school had managed to find itself in the frontline for drama so soon, or still focused on his feels towards Rachel putting herself in danger. But Tom seemed to understand either way.

"I know, it's pretty up there with standards of being a crap day." Tom agreed, placing a firm hand on his friends shoulder as a show of support. "You and Rachel though, you're okay?" He asked carefully, not wanting to create a scene in front of the entire school staff but also wanting to check on him.

Eddie contemplated his answer, wondering if to keep his professional life separate. Then he realised that ship had long since sailed, and it would be nice to gain an outsiders opinion. "She scared the life out of me Tom, what happens when I lose her to this job? What if next time, the gun fires at her? Or she's left inside the burning building too long? I don't know when it ends." He admitted, finally voicing the fears he hadn't dared mention to Rachel earlier. She had enough on her plate after dealing with the fallout from Denzil and the police investigation that would then follow, she didn't need him unloading on her too. His role as her husband was to provide her with a strong support system, to allow her a place in his arms and feel safe and cared for. He couldn't do that if he showed himself as weak, if he admitted how terrified he felt whenever he considered life without her. Eddie realised it had been a while since he spoke, and had yet to hear a reply from Tom. He looked up from the spot he had been focusing on on the floor to find Rachel stood between them, with no idea when she had snuck into their conversation.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I begged away from Steph to get my drink.. I didn't mean.." She trailed off, suddenly feeling ashamed of what she'd heard, even though she was glad that Eddie was finally opening up to someone.

Eddie passed it over silently. At that moment, Steph called out for Rachel and she had never been so grateful for the blonde in her life as she turned, only to find herself being grabbed and tugged away. Somehow, she wound up in a debate between a good portion of the female staff regarding the positives and negatives of single sex education, though she had absolutely no idea how the topic had come up. At one point, she ducked out to the loo, realising when she returned that no one was missing her- Eddie was deep in conversation with Tom and the new PE teacher, the discussion she'd left had splintered off and there was nothing stopping her from diverting away from her path, slipping out the door and gratefully gulping in the fresh air she stepped into.

She moved away from the door, leaning against the wall and closing her eyes, trying to ignore the pounding in her head and the ache of her scar beneath her blouse. But after five minutes, she felt no better and so slipped her phone from her pocket, shooting off a text to Eddie. 'Don't feel well, have gone home to lie down. Stay and have fun x'

One taxi later, she stumbled into the kitchen, scrabbling in the drawer for the painkillers she knew were in there and gulping them down dry before she collapsed onto the sofa in the front room, flicking the TV on in an attempt to distract herself while she waited for the tablets to work. She found some crime thriller, occupied herself with trying to guess the killer before it was revealed.

She'd made it through another episode, laying on the sofa with her arm placed awkwardly to stop the scar pulling when she heard the key in the lock. She knew Eddie would come to check on her- he always did. And to her shame, she closed her eyes and concentrated on breathing evenly.

She sensed him in the doorway, listening intently as he paused, before he quietly moved into the room and the sound of the tv flicked off. And then she was being covered by a blanket, and her stomach knotted.

She lay for a while once he'd gone, mind drifting and churning over the events of the day. It was only when she heard a crash from the kitchen that she opened her eyes again, and was surprised to find it much later than it had been- she must have dozed off, she realised, wincing at how stiff her shoulder was as she pushed herself upright.

Eddie glanced up guiltily as she walked in, a pan on the floor in front of him. "I'm sorry- did I wake you?"

She shook her head. "It's okay." Silence fell, tense and awkward and she wanted to cry, because it had never been like this between them and she was no longer sure it could be fixed. "Eddie, sit down," she requested softly. He did so, and she paused for only a moment before she joined him. "I heard what you said to Tom," she blurted, and held up a hand to stall him before he could speak, taking a deep breath. "I won't apologise for saving Denzil, Eddie. I can't. But I am sorry for frightening you, and I'm sorry that you seem to think I don't care, because I do."

Her voice cracked on the final word, and she had to swallow thickly. "Eddie, you knew who I was when you married me. I know you did, or I wouldn't have said yes." She saw him jerk at that, knew her words had hit home. "He's a child, Eddie. Barely eleven years old. And… I wish that I could promise I won't do it again, but the truth is I would. To save another eleven-year-old, another child. I couldn't do any less, and I can't change who I am. And even if I could, I wouldn't, not even for you. I love you, Eddie, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I understand if you can't do this."

His eyes flashed. "Rach-!"

"No." she reached out, grabbed his wrist. "No, I mean it. You need to consider this. I'm not giving up, just giving you an out. No hard feelings, no difficulties. And I need you to think about it, Eddie. I'd make it easy- I'd resign, nothing would change for you. Just think about it."

She quickly stood and walked out before he could respond, aching as she readied herself for bed as fast as possible, so that by the time she heard her husband moving about she was already beneath the covers, the lamp on her side switched off. It felt like an eternity before he came in, moving about the room silently before she felt the bed dip as he climbed in, settling down as far away from her as possible.

She felt her stomach drop- whatever position they fell asleep in, at the very least they would usually be touching in some way, even if it was just their backs pressed together. And since the day they had started this, there was always a kiss goodnight.

She was careful not to move, not to make a sound, wide awake as Eddie began to snore softly beside her and tears streaked down her cheeks.

The next morning, Rachel didn't even want to open her eyes. She felt herself regain consciousness against the soft feathers of her pillows and was immediately floored with the memories of the previous night. However before she could think too much against it, she felt Eddie's arm tighten around her. She hadn't even noticed the weight against her hip before now, only as she was pulled flush against her body. Before she even knew how to react, she felt feather like kisses on her shoulder and the sound of his husky voice in her ear.

"I'm sorry." His words were so sincere that tears immediately filled her eyes, the eyes that she knew were already red and bloodshot from how much she'd cried only the night before. "I'm not sorry for how much I love you, I'm really not." He turned her in his arms and traced her cheeks with soft fingers, tracing the patterns that her tear tracks had left down her face. "But I am sorry for making you come up with that ultimatum in your head. Don't leave." He begged, his own voice breaking as he dreaded what he answer would be. Eddie was terrified of Rachel having spent the night planning how and when she was going to leave, and he needed to act fast if that was the case to prevent her from making any rash decisions. "Don't leave the school, and don't leave me." He sounded pathetic, begging this woman to stay by his side. But she was the light that he needed, the only reason he got out of bed most mornings. He knew he was able to tackle anything life threw at him as long as she was by his side, and he hated himself for doubting her. She was right, he knew who she was when he asked her to marry him. One of the things that made him fall in love with her so quickly was her passion for work and the need to do right by absolutely every child, background and attitude be damned.

Rachel finally looked up and made eye contact with him, finding his sincere features staring back at her as he cling to her body. She realised that he was terrified, scared she was about to up and leave him. She knew he also had grown accustomed to their sleeping arrangements, so much have frightened himself when he woke up and found them both at opposite ends of the bed. "Eddie, I am not going anywhere." She promised, watching how his features turned to utter relief at her words. "I would never leave you, in a million years. I want this marriage to work so much that I was willing to walk away from my job, because I know how much it hurts you when things happen at work that you cannot control." She hoped he realised what she was saying, that leaving their marriage was never an option. She would explore every single avenue she could think of before it came to something as extreme as that, and even then she would need to be dragged to court kicking and screaming in protest. She loved Eddie more than anything, more than any job and any situation that she found herself in. She would accept a job cleaning dustbins as long as it meant coming home to him each night. But she knew that in her current line of work, and with her past as her driving force that she thought about every day, she would not let a child slip through the net. She would fight tooth and nail for each student that walked through her gates every morning, even if that meant putting her life on the line sometimes to make them see sense. "My job was my world for a long time Eddie, it saved me. So I owe so much to it, that's why I am so passionate. I'm not sorry for that, because it lead me to you. I know it's hard, but, I need to know you're okay with this. I can't lose you, you're more to me than any job. No matter how much I love it." She kissed him softly as she finished, glad that she was able to do so. As she fell to sleep last night, she wasn't sure when the next time would be that she would get to do so was grateful that it didn't end up being so long after all.

He pulled her closer to him, gripping her so tightly he was afraid he was going to leave bruises. "I may have been a little unfair," he admitted. "But Rach…"

"I know." she touched his face with her fingertips, hand sliding around the back of his neck when he rested their foreheads together.

"I don't want you to go anywhere, and I am not giving up on this marriage, no matter how ridiculous you are," he told her, and she let out a half-laugh, half-sob, relief crashing through her. "I do know who you are, Rach. I never meant to push you this far. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," she acknowledged, and his lips were instantly on hers. She practically melted into it, having to resist the urge to pout when he pulled back, his fingers tracing her features. A frown grew over his face as he looked at her properly for the first time. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Some."

She looked exhausted, he noted, eyes red rimmed and bloodshot. The stiff way she held herself told him her scar was bothering her, and he felt guilt swim within him. "Rach… did you cry yourself to sleep?"

She averted her eyes. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does." he smoothed a thumb over her cheek. "We should have hashed this out last night," he said, half to himself. Her face contorted, told him that he was right.

"I thought… last night, I thought that…"

"That I was going to do as you suggested," he finished. She nodded.

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Never."

"I was awake when you came to bed, Eddie," she revealed quietly, fear stark in her voice. He closed his eyes briefly.

"I'm sorry. I was angry."

"Promise me, never again," she requested. "From now on, we sort anything out before bed. We don't do last night again."

"That sounds like a great idea," he agreed. She smiled in relief, fingers brushing through his hair.

"Can we leave this behind us?" she asked timidly.

Eddie nodded. "You were an idiot, I didn't respond very well. Neither is probably going to change, but we'll react better next time. Let's leave it at that."

"Thank you. Because I'm really going to need you today."

"We'll need each other." Their hands entwined as he shot a half-smile at her, embracing her warmly when she slid even closer to bury her face in his shoulder.

Rachel figured that the fall out from Denzil and dealing with the Kelly family would be at the top of her worries for the day, but that passed her by when she turned towards her office and was once again greeted with the sight of her sister waiting on the seats outside. She couldn't hold back her sigh as she stopped in her tracks, knowing this was the last thing she needed on today of all days. Eddie came to a halt behind her, only just stopping himself from slamming into her back at the way she stood on the spot. "I'll start going through the calls, filtering out the journalists." She accepted the kiss on her cheek from Eddie as he took her bag and walked into the office, shutting the door to give them some privacy. It was only then that she noticed the young boy sat next to Melissa, and she furrowed her brows in confusion.

"I thought we said Saturday?" Rachel asked her sister, fingers touching her forehead to prevent the already forming headache from erupting at such an early hour. She had the Kelly's arriving shortly, had no doubt in her mind that there were hundreds of calls from both parents and journalists waiting for her in her office and was yet to have her second cup of coffee.

Melissa had the slight decency to look mildly sheepish, having heard about the previous drama. Part of her had been worried for her sister when she caught up with the news online, but knew there was no part of their relationship where it would be considered appropriate to simply turn up and check on her wellbeing. Instead, she stood up and pulled her son with her, facing Rachel head on and trying her best to claw back some of the confidence she seemed to lose under the gaze of her older sister. "This is my son, Phillip. I need to enrol him, we recently moved." She added helpfully, and Rachel found herself gasping at the teenager.

The boy must have been at least 15, and Rachel wondered how the events had transpired in the years after she left her family home. However, she had no time to worry about that at present moment, and switched into professional mode immediately. "It's nice to meet you." She was grateful was the boy awkwardly shook her hand, glad for the distraction and escape from having to deal with anymore bombshells after the 24 hours she had been forced to deal with. This, she could handle. "I'll have my secretary Rose to get you the forms, and we'll need to set up a tour around the school before we can continue. What year are you in Phillip?"

"-He's in year 10. No need for a tour, he can go here." Melissa interrupted, looking around for the sign of the secretary with hopes that she would provide the paperwork quickly. "I tell you what, you're family. Why don't I leave him here and we can do the boring stuff later? Great, see you."

Before Rachel could reply and drop her, Melissa was out of the door and leaving them both stood in shock as they looked after her. Eddie, having heard the door shut, had poked his head out of Rachel's office and had now joined her at her side. "And where's she off to?" He asked his wife, still clueless to who this boy was that had now been left in a room with Rachel.

She looked between the two and had to let out a laugh, knowing if she didn't then she would end up in floods of tears before it reached 8am. "Eddie, this is your nephew I suppose. Phillip, my husband." They shook hands half heartedly and Rachel found herself feeling incredibly sorry for the teenager. "Does she do that a lot?" She guessed from his reaction that she did, and she found herself wondering what it was exactly that her sister was up to. Only Rachel didn't have the energy to even think about Melissa's problems, especially not when Rose chose that moment to run though the door. "Mrs Lawson, the Kelly's are here. Some of the kids have cornered them."

Eddie held a hand to his face upon hearing that, cursing the fact that the students were notorious for turning up late and had chosen today of all days to make an early start. Rachel placed a hand on his arm to calm him as she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to face. "Rose, please take Phillip to the pastoral room. He'll need a year 10 timetable printing as he's starting today. After that, I'll need an admissions form to fill in with his mother when she collects him." She rattled off the list to Rose, who grabs her small notebook and wrote everything down unnecessarily in a way she had done since she started. "Mr Lawson, let's go." She marched out the door at that, not needing to stop to know that Eddie was right behind her. She knew he always would be, argument or not, as that's where he belonged. By her side as they faced wherever life chose to throw at them.

"Remind me why we do this again?" Rachel muttered to him as they raced down the stairs.

"Because the good days are really good."

"Excellent point." They found the Kellys easily, and swooped through the crowd. "That's enough, all of you! Get to registration!" Rachel snapped at them as she deftly stepped in front of Sam and Marley, who was holding the baby. To the side, Earl lounged against the wall, eyeing the crowd with darkened eyes. Eddie began to shepherd individual groups away, while Rachel turned the kids with a grimace. "Sorry about that. Are you all alright?"

Murmured affirmations seemed to be the best she was going to get. "Okay. Why don't we get Prince to the creche, and then Mr Lawson and I will take you all to class."

Neither adult was oblivious to the whispers and stares as they walked with the siblings. A notice was going out with the registers, Rachel knew, as well as veiled reminders by the form tutors but truthfully the kids were in for a rough time. They dropped off Sam and Earl first, before Eddie peeled off to get to his own class and she walked with Marley the rest of the way.

"Miss?" he paused before he went in, looking over his shoulder at her. "Thank you."

She smiled at him. "Not necessary. Have a good day, Marley."

He vanished inside, and she spun on her heel back down the corridor. "Phillip…" she remembered, and headed in that direction. The boy looked quite desolate, sat by himself and she didn't miss the way he stiffened warily when she came in. "Hi Phillip. Did Rose give you a timetable?"

He nudged a bit of paper towards her, and she glanced at it just long enough to note he was in Grantley's form, and Rose had even managed to sort his subject choices out. She should remember to buy her a really nice bottle of something for Christmas. "Right then- let's get you to registration."

The boy trailed after her, and she couldn't help herself from glancing at him curiously. "Are you okay?" she questioned tentatively, and he shrugged. She shot him a sympathetic smile. "It's odd, right now. I know. It'll get better."

She had no idea whether she was talking about the new school or the new aunt thing, but thankfully they arrived before she had to figure it out. "Mr Budgens, this is Phillip Ryan, he'll be joining your class. Bolton, could you show him to his lessons please?"

The boy made a face, but nodded and she shot Phillip another weak smile, before she withdrew. It wasn't even nine yet, she thought ruefully, and she already needed to go home.

As lunchtime rolled around, Rachel barely had time to think as she raced to get a sandwich from the canteen and ran back to her office so to not break the flow she was on with her emails. She had needed to stop twice to deal with arguments and fights that had gotten out of hand, and didn't want to be staying any later than necessary after work hours. Returning to her office, she opened the door and stood still momentarily.

"They just came." Rose nudged her from behind, moving her into the room with a knowing smile as Rachel continued to look at the biggest bouquet of flowers she had ever seen.

Finally finding her feet, she moved towards them and took out the note, not needing to see the name in order to know who had sent them.

*Dinner tonight at 8, your favourite place. I love you*

She blushed furiously as she read it again, fighting the urge to clutch it to her chest and squeal with glee. Rachel had missed the cheesy romantic relationships during her teenage years and Eddie had vowed from the day her met her to make up for every single day that she wasn't worshiped like he believed she should be.

The sound of the door knocking pulled her from her daydream, and she had to swallow the disappointment that it wasn't Eddie there as he simply wouldn't have knocked. She called for whoever it was to enter and was floored to find none other than Phillip walking into her office. She took a seat after moving the flowers onto the floor so to not crowd her desk, quickly putting the note safely away in her top drawer. "Phillip, what can I do for you?" She immediately felt awkward, face to face with a relative she knew absolutely nothing about and didn't know existed until only hours before.

"I'm sorry, have you got time?" He fumbled over his words, and Rachel's heart went out to him and his teenage angst. It couldn't be easy starting a new school after a recent move, especially at a place like Waterloo Road.

Rachel knew she needed to take the time to get to know him, even if it was only for professional reasons. The way Melissa had left was a huge cause of concern for her, and she had an overwhelming feeling to protect this nephew that she hadn't even known about just that morning. "Of course, come in. Is everything okay?"

Phillip fumbled with his bag as she took a seat, grateful when Rachel came to join him over on the sofas and didn't sit opposite him like they were in an interview. "So, you're my Aunt, right?" His mum had only mentioned her sister in passing before, never had any answers for him when he asked about her.

Rachel smiled at him softly with hopes that if calmed his nerves slightly. "That's me. I don't suppose you were expecting this were you?" She hoped to lighten the mood slightly, make Phillip feel at ease in her company and gain some type of understanding between the two.

"Definitely not." Phillip agreed, looking closely at her features to see which ones he could see were the same as his mother's. They weren't very similar, and he found himself drawn to Rachel's warm eyes that he hadn't seen on his own mum in a long time. "It's weird, you're my headteacher. But you're my Auntie? And Mr Lawson?" He questioned. He'd heard rumours all day, was immediately filled in by his fellow year about the dynamics of the school. He seemed to have joined on a busy day, with the other students bothered too much about the previous days events to care about a new kid joining their year.

"It's definitely not conventional, nor was it expected. I had no idea about you, truthfully." Rachel didn't want to dig up the past, but wanted him to know how different things could have been. Families were complicated, but she'd have been there for him if he ever needed her. "And with Eddie. Sorry, Mr Lawson, like I said.. it's not conventional." She had to laugh, knowing there wasn't many other ways to describe her relationship with Eddie and their professional dynamic.

"Rachel. We've got a problem." Steph burst into the room, putting Rachel on high alert as she immediately stood to attention and waited for what Steph was about to say. Another gun? Another fire? She wasn't sure she could take much more. Before she had chance to ask, the blonde continued. "I know we need new security measures after yesterday but that new guard is a nightmare." This time, Rachel couldn't hold back the roll of her eyes. She'd been expecting the worst, and who could blame her? She turned back to her nephew and smiled at him with humour in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, can we reschedule? Duty calls." She turned to Phillip and asked, hoping he knew how grateful she was that he was come to her just to chat and attempt to get to know her.

Phillip nodded, and Rachel flashed him a warm smile before he scampered from the room, unsure about his emotions towards his new headmistress. On one hand, she seemed perfectly nice but on the other, he knew next to nothing about her. His mother hadn't even mentioned who she was until they were already sat in the office that morning.

Rachel managed to get rid of Steph with some promises to have a word with her overly friendly security guard and all of a sudden couldn't bear to be in her office any longer. The corridors were mostly empty, and happily so was Eddie's classroom when she wandered past. He smiled when she slipped inside, closing the door firmly behind her and dropping onto his lap without a word.

He couldn't help but think she never would have done that even a few months ago.

"I'm already ready for home," she murmured.

"What happened?"

"What hasn't would be a shorter answer."

"Melissa?" he guessed.

She was silent for a long moment. "We're strangers to each other. She's my sister, but I don't know the first thing about her. She has a fifteen year old, for heavens sake."

Rachel sagged back against him, her energy practically none existent as she pondered her next move. She knew her job was demanding, knew what she was signing up for all those years ago when she achieved her qualifications. But this, seemed something else. It was one thing after another, a never ending cycle of difficulties being thrown her way, both personally and professionally. She almost laughed when she realised that the term started only a few days ago, and she naively thought the only drama she would face for weeks would be dealing with her change in surname. She allowed herself to bask in the silence of Eddie's classroom, to simply sit in his arms and enjoy the peace while it lasted. She knew she should probably move, should probably get up as it wouldn't be long before a problem presented itself and they were interrupted. But she couldn't find it in her heart to care, too exhausted to even contemplate getting up from her position.

Eddie watched on powerlessly as she closed her eyes, and he ached to take her away and simply get her to rest. It'd been mere days since they returned and she wasn't able to switch off at home, was up for hours on her laptop and awake long before him as she weighed herself down with the stress. He decided he needed to take action before her job destroyed her, and he was forced to watch. "Look, Rach, it's been a lot." He turned her head to face him and quickly planted a kiss to her lips before he spoke again, wanting her to know the appreciation and admiration he felt for her. "A lot has happened so quickly. We've faced Stuart, the fire, our wedding. And then, we came back married, the gun and now Melissa. By anyone's standards, you need a break." He wasn't sure if she'd go for it, but he knew something needed to give before she ran herself down. The last thing Eddie wanted was her making herself ill. She was still recovering from the fire, had physically only just got herself back to where she was before. Mentally and emotionally, she still had a long way to go. "You're seeing Melissa on Saturday, right? So from now until then, just leave it be. Leave work at work, focus on yourself. Focus on us." He knew he was practically begging, but he needed her to see her worth and give herself some down time before she ran out of energy completely.

Rachel knew he was right, knew she had to learn to separate work from her personal life. Granted, she hadn't done too well on that when she married her Deputy, but she understood Eddie's point. "It has been a lot, but you've been there through it all." She commented sincerely, hoping he realised how grateful she was to have him by her side. They could face any battle, weather any storm as long as they were doing it together. Luckily, they both knew to put themselves and each other before their career and that had done them wonders in recent days.

"No matter what happens, we've proved that we can get through anything. It's us against the world Rachel, and I wouldn't have it any other way." Eddie kissed her again to emphasise his point, his arms wrapped tightly around her to show her that he would always be there for her. Before him, she fought the world alone and suffered for it. Now, nothing could break them. It truly was them against the world.


End file.
